Blue Badge holders to no longer park for free under new council plans

The cameras would be installed across two council-owned car parks, but drivers have been warned the move will affect the most vulnerable.

Blue Badge holders who currently can park at Haysden Country Park and at Western Road in Borough Green for free will no longer be given the crucial benefit.

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Under the new proposal, the council stated: “Currently disabled drivers with a blue badge, can park for free.

“If we move to numberplate enforcement, these blue badges can’t be identified and they will need to pay at the ANPR sites.”

The cameras would replace the existing pay and display machines at Haysden County Parks would mean “the same enforcement and charges will be encountered by all users”.

The cost of setting up and using the new cameras is estimated at £70,000, with £5,000 alone used to create an options report and the production of a specification to seek quotations.

There will also be new fees added for the operation and management of the ANPR system and an increase in maintenance costs due to vandalism or damage.

The cameras will be rolled out by the end of the year and will be in place on a trial basis, but this could be extended if successful.

Official documents stated: “Introduce and manage the operation of an ANPR system in two council car parks.

“This will include the installation of required equipment (new entry/exit point camera, barrier, payment point and signage), management of the system and collection of revenue.”

It added: “The project will enable an assessment of whether the more widespread introduction of ANPR across other council’s car parks should be considered. This may be achieved by using a third party to deliver and manage the project on our behalf.”

But the suggested parking changes have been met with mixed support from drivers with some suggesting that if Transport for London can differentiate between Blue Badge holder cars and others, “so can this council”.

Other drivers were not as convinced, one person shared: “ANPR take entrance and exit photos of cars at the entrance to car park. I have never known one to recognise blue badges.

“Because of this, it looks like the blue badge holders will have to argue their case. Absolutely disgusting. I think that the only positive action, out of this, is there might be a job up for grabs to sort it out and help the blue badge holders. It's a disgrace.”

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Councillors Lee Athwal and Mark Hood from the Green party had asked in the meeting about the new arrangements why there was not more being put in place to ensure that Blue Badge holders were being excluded in the plans to introduce new technology to the car parks.

The party said: “We were told that the council will now be looking at the way residents can register in advance to be able to access Automatic Number Plate Recognition car parks as is the case in areas like Ashford and Canterbury.

“We also asked why these proposals had not been brought to the relevant committee for discussion by members before being decided by the cabinet.”

A council member told GB News: "On Tuesday evening the Council’s Cabinet met and agreed that we would proceed with ANPR in Council run car parks and ensure that there was a facility for vehicles registered with blue badge holders to be able to continue parking free of charge."